20-20 Foresight: Which 5 NFL Teams Might Win 2020 Super Bowl?

David Gonos 09:38 pm, July 22nd, 2016

We’re often so caught up in yesterday and today, we forget all about what might happen tomorrow. That means fans of bad NFL teams are grumbling about last year’s results and imagining what their draft picks will be like this season, but they’re not even thinking about what might be coming down the pike – good or bad.

That’s what we’re for!

Breaking down this year’s teams, wondering what might lay ahead for all 32 clubs, helps us predict what we think what could happen just five seasons from now. Which five NFL teams will have the best chances to win the 2020 Super Bowl in Miami?

This was by no means scientific, although, we’ll cite some stats once in a while, but you should understand this is a completely subjective final-five set!

Current rosters certainly say a lot about what might happen in 2020, but let’s go back to before the 2011 season to see if we could have predicted the final four teams (those playing in the AFC and NFC Championship games) for this past season, 2015:

Arizona Cardinals: In the first season after Kurt Warner’s retirement, the Cards won just five games in 2010, just two years after the franchise’s only trip to the Super Bowl.

Carolina Panthers: With just two wins in 2010, every other NFL team had at least twice as many wins as the Panthers, who won the chance to draft Cam Newton first overall.

Denver Broncos: Coming off a 4-12 season, and Josh McDaniels was fired before the 2011 season – but not before he wasted a first-rounder on Tim Tebow. Drafting Von Miller second overall in 2011 helped the worst defense in the NFL in 2010 substantially.

New England Patriots: Tom Brady was the 2010 NFL MVP, so it wasn’t too outlandish to think he could stick around another 10 years with Bill Belichick running the show.

So as you can see, the only great team that was able to stave off Father Time was the Patriots, and the other three teams had top-five picks in the 2011 NFL Draft (Arizona took CB Patrick Peterson).Two quarterbacks played with the team that drafted them, and the other two came over from other clubs.

Green Bay Packers

Tom Brady. Peyton Manning and Carson Palmer averaged just over 37 years old in the 2015 NFL season, which is right where Aaron Rodgers will be in 2020.

It’s tough to imagine this ballclub moving skill position players in and out around him that can still get him to the promised land. But then again, has a franchise moved pieces in and out around their QB better in the past 25 years than the Packers?

Maybe Rodgers joins John Elway, Peyton Manning and possibly Tom Brady as quarterbacks who won the Super Bowl just before retiring.

Aaron Rodgers Photo Credit: Christian Peterson, Getty Images

Jacksonville Jaguars

Sure to be a controversial pick, the Jaguars are an offensive line away from being an offensive juggernaut, and their defense improved considerably this past offseason. As a whole, they ranked as the second-youngest team in the NFL in 2015, and as they improve, they’ll continue to attract better free agents.

T.J. Yeldon and Chris Ivory might not be the answer at tailback, but that’s the one position that can be fixed the quickest without much development.

Blake Bortles Photo Credit: Scott Cunningham, Getty Images

Los Angeles Rams

I like this team for several reasons, specifically because they remind me a little of the Dallas Cowboys before they blew up. I know that Jared Goff hasn’t even had one NFL snap yet, but he should be a quality game manager, like Troy Aikman, in an offense built on the legs of a great running back (Todd Gurley/Emmitt Smith), and a solid defense with stars up front.

Jeff Fisher would be 62 years old by then, and the NFL’s youngest team in 2015 should be at their peak in a handful of years.

They’ll have to draft downfield weapons for Goff to throw to, of course, which they could do in the next few years.

One team I have omitted from this list is the Tennessee Titans, who have stockpiled picks like the Cowboys did, but I like the Rams’ ground-game and defense much better.

Jared Goff Photo Credit: Harry How, Getty Images

Oakland Raiders

This prediction is based off one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, along with an up-and-coming young quarterback and burgeoning superstar wide receiver (Amari Cooper).

Khalil Mack has already been compared to Von Miller just a couple seasons in, and the Raiders suddenly look to be building something that will get them into the playoffs for the first time since they lost the Super Bowl to the Bucs.

In just one season, head coach Jack Del Rio and quarterback Derek Carr have turned around how outsiders view this ballclub.

Khalil Mack Photo Credit:Rob Leiter , Getty Images

Seattle Seahawks

Russell Wilson will be just 32 years old, and while that’s old for a quarterback that can run, Wilson has more in his arsenal than just fleet feet.

You likely noticed that the Patriots didn’t make this list of possible 2020 Super Bowl winners. I blame the (eventual) retirement of Tom Brady and the likely retirement of Bill Belichick shortly thereafter for that. This Pats defense ranks as the second-youngest in the AFC, but outside of Gronk, this offense will be searching for stars for a few years.

Green Bay Packers

Tom Brady. Peyton Manning and Carson Palmer averaged just over 37 years old in the 2015 NFL season, which is right where Aaron Rodgers will be in 2020.

It’s tough to imagine this ballclub moving skill position players in and out around him that can still get him to the promised land. But then again, has a franchise moved pieces in and out around their QB better in the past 25 years than the Packers?

Maybe Rodgers joins John Elway, Peyton Manning and possibly Tom Brady as quarterbacks who won the Super Bowl just before retiring.

Aaron Rodgers Photo Credit: Christian Peterson, Getty Images

2/5

Jacksonville Jaguars

Sure to be a controversial pick, the Jaguars are an offensive line away from being an offensive juggernaut, and their defense improved considerably this past offseason. As a whole, they ranked as the second-youngest team in the NFL in 2015, and as they improve, they’ll continue to attract better free agents.

T.J. Yeldon and Chris Ivory might not be the answer at tailback, but that’s the one position that can be fixed the quickest without much development.

Blake Bortles Photo Credit: Scott Cunningham, Getty Images

3/5

Los Angeles Rams

I like this team for several reasons, specifically because they remind me a little of the Dallas Cowboys before they blew up. I know that Jared Goff hasn’t even had one NFL snap yet, but he should be a quality game manager, like Troy Aikman, in an offense built on the legs of a great running back (Todd Gurley/Emmitt Smith), and a solid defense with stars up front.

Jeff Fisher would be 62 years old by then, and the NFL’s youngest team in 2015 should be at their peak in a handful of years.

They’ll have to draft downfield weapons for Goff to throw to, of course, which they could do in the next few years.

One team I have omitted from this list is the Tennessee Titans, who have stockpiled picks like the Cowboys did, but I like the Rams’ ground-game and defense much better.

Jared Goff Photo Credit: Harry How, Getty Images

4/5

Oakland Raiders

This prediction is based off one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, along with an up-and-coming young quarterback and burgeoning superstar wide receiver (Amari Cooper).

Khalil Mack has already been compared to Von Miller just a couple seasons in, and the Raiders suddenly look to be building something that will get them into the playoffs for the first time since they lost the Super Bowl to the Bucs.

In just one season, head coach Jack Del Rio and quarterback Derek Carr have turned around how outsiders view this ballclub.

Khalil Mack Photo Credit:Rob Leiter , Getty Images

5/5

Seattle Seahawks

Russell Wilson will be just 32 years old, and while that’s old for a quarterback that can run, Wilson has more in his arsenal than just fleet feet.

You likely noticed that the Patriots didn’t make this list of possible 2020 Super Bowl winners. I blame the (eventual) retirement of Tom Brady and the likely retirement of Bill Belichick shortly thereafter for that. This Pats defense ranks as the second-youngest in the AFC, but outside of Gronk, this offense will be searching for stars for a few years.